Days before her tragic death, Gabby Petito confided in her ex-boyfriend, Jackson, that she wanted to leave Brian Laundrie but was scared of his reaction. This revelation comes from the new Netflix docuseries American Murder: Gabby Petito, which includes previously unseen text messages and interviews with Petito's loved ones.

On August 22, 2021, Petito spoke with Jackson after a fight with Laundrie, telling him about her desire to leave and her fear of what Laundrie might do. Jackson described the call as a "cry for help" and said, "I think that she wasn’t sure of what he would do or what he could do."

The docuseries also highlights a text exchange on August 27, when Petito and Laundrie were in Jackson, Wyoming. Petito texted Jackson, saying the town's name reminded her of him. That same day, witnesses reported seeing Laundrie arguing with staff at the Merry Piglets Tex-Mex restaurant. The argument, believed to be about money, was thought to have fueled Laundrie's rage before Petito's murder.

Petito was last seen alive on surveillance footage at a Whole Foods supermarket later that afternoon. Days later, Laundrie strangled Petito and left her body in a remote Wyoming campsite. After returning to Florida, Laundrie reported Petito missing, sparking a nationwide search. Her body was located a few weeks later in Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming.

As the investigation into Petito's death continued, Laundrie disappeared. Authorities launched another search for Laundrie, which came to an end when his water-logged body was discovered in the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, Florida. Investigators found a note near his body in which he admitted to the murder. An autopsy determined that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Vicki McKenna